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Steve Joyce, president and CEO of Choice Hotels International, says his company has taken major steps with new hotel segments in its bid to elevate its brand image. "For forever Choice was the company that was a stopover when you were on the way to something else. Now we want to be the destination," Joyce said. Three large deals recently secured by Choice have granted it a stronger foothold in the budget and time-share segments as well as the European lodging market.

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Choice Hotels International CEO Steve Joyce discusses his chain's counteroffensive to online booking agencies and eagerness to grow the company. He also talks about Choice's loyalty program and the importance of scale in the industry.

Low gasoline prices are putting more money into consumers' pockets and will help make for a record summer in the travel industry, Choice Hotels CEO Steve Joyce predicted. In an interview, Joyce also said that, due to mergers, chains are making headway against online travel agencies. Choice's 6,300 hotels include the Comfort Inn, EconoLodge, Rodeway Inn and Clarion brands.

Walt Disney has appointed Claire Bilby senior vice president in charge of the company's time-share business, Disney Vacation Club. The appointment came three days after the company fired the former Disney Vacation Club president and two other executives.

With demand sinking and investors pushing for higher interest rates, the time-share market is quickly falling out of favor. Some of the biggest time-share developers, including Starwood Hotels & Resorts, Wyndham Worldwide and Marriott International, are pulling back from the market, cutting back on spending for new resort construction and laying off staff at existing time-share projects.

Choice Hotels International has hired Stephen Joyce, a veteran Marriott executive, to become its new president and COO this week. In October, Joyce will succeed CEO Chuck Ledsinger, who will stay on as vice chairman.